Schedule & Daily Focus

Introduction

This week, we pause from our normal routines as much as we can to consecrate ourselves to the Lord afresh for 2018. We will do this through prayer and fasting from food while feasting on God’s Word and in His presence.

Each day, we will have a particular area of focus, based on the schedule below. These areas of focus will especially guide our corporate gatherings each evening, so please use this handout to prepare in advance of each evening’s gathering.

In addition to these areas that we will be focusing on corporately, you should identify areas in your own life that you wish to bring before the Lord this week as well.

Schedule for the Week

We will meet as a church family in the main auditorium for a time of worship in song, followed by a time of prayer and ministry.

Monday - Area of Focus: Hungering and Thirsting for Righteousness

Scripture: Matthew 5:6: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (ESV)

Let’s pray to the Lord, asking him to turn our hunger for food and our thirst for drink into hunger and thirst for Him.

Tuesday - Area of Focus: Obedience to God’s Word

Scripture: James 1:22-25: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." (ESV)

Let’s pray that we will be a people of the word, a people who both hear and obey God’s word.

Wednesday - Area of Focus: Empowerment of the Spirit

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11: "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” (ESV)

Let’s pray for the fresh empowerment of the Holy Spirit for ministry in the church.

Thursday - Area of Focus: The Gift of Community

Scripture: Acts 2:44-3:1: "And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (ESV)

Let’s pray for eyes to see and hearts to embrace the gift of community.

Friday - Area of Focus: The Great Commission

Scripture: Luke 24:44-49: "Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul." (ESV)

Let’s pray for an increased commitment to fulfilling the Great Commission, corporately and individually.

Please Note: In previous years, we saved the bulk of our sharing, encouragement, and exhortations for the last night of the week. This year, we will be creating space each night for sharing, encouragement, and exhortation.